ICC Profile Viewer — Inspect Color Profiles Online Free
Inspect ICC color profiles (CMYK/RGB) — view device class, color space, version, manufacturer, rendering intent, and tag directory. 100% private.
Drop an ICC profile file here
Inspecting color profiles — device class, color space, tags. 100% private.
ICC profiles are the backbone of color management — every calibrated monitor, every proofing printer, every professional photo editing workflow depends on them. An ICC profile is a compact binary file (typically under 100 KB for display profiles, up to several MB for CMYK printer profiles) that defines how a specific device captures, displays, or prints color. The profile header carries the essential metadata: what kind of device it describes, what color space it uses, when it was created, who made it, and what rendering intent it recommends. The ICC Profile Viewer reads this header and presents it in a human-readable format, along with a directory of every embedded tag.
The ICC format is a well-structured binary format with a 128-byte header followed by a tag table. The header specifies the profile size, the preferred CMM (Color Management Module) type, the ICC version (v2.x or v4.x), the device class and color space as four-character codes, the profile connection space (the reference color space for conversions), creation date/time, the ‘acsp’ file signature, the platform, flags, device manufacturer and model, device attributes, rendering intent, and the profile creator signature. The tag table follows, listing up to hundreds of tags — each with a four-character signature, a byte offset, and a size. The viewer reads these fields and presents them with human-readable labels.
The practical use case: you have an ICC profile for your monitor, generated by a colorimeter, and you want to verify it’s the right one — correct device class (mntr), correct color space (RGB), recent creation date. Or you are troubleshooting a print mismatch and want to inspect the printer profile to confirm it’s CMYK and check its rendering intent. The browser tool gives you a fast readout without launching ColorSync Utility, installing ArgyllCMS, or opening a terminal. Every byte is read locally; nothing is transmitted.
How to use
Drop your ICC profile
Drag and drop an `.icc` or `.icm` file onto the upload area. ICC profiles are binary files (usually 0.5–2 KB for display profiles, up to several MB for printer profiles) that define how a device reproduces color.
View the profile information
The tool reads the ICC profile header: version, device class (monitor, printer, scanner, etc.), color space (RGB, CMYK, Grayscale, etc.), profile connection space (PCS), creation date/time, platform, manufacturer, model, flags, rendering intent, and creator signature. A tag directory lists every embedded tag with its offset and size.
Copy or download
Copy the profile information as text or download as `.txt`. Use the report to verify a profile's origin, check its intended use, or document your color management pipeline.
Frequently asked
What is an ICC profile?
ICC (International Color Consortium) profiles are binary files that describe how a device captures or reproduces color. Every monitor calibration creates a display profile. Every printer has a printer profile. Image files can embed ICC profiles to ensure color is reproduced consistently across different screens and printers. The ICC specification has been maintained since 1993 and is the industry standard for color management.
What information is extracted?
Profile header: size, version, device class, color space, PCS, creation date, platform, CMM type, manufacturer, model, flags, rendering intent, and creator. Tag directory: a list of all tags with their four-character signatures, byte offsets, and sizes. Description and copyright text are extracted from the `desc` and `cprt` tags if present. RGB primaries are extracted from the `rXYZ`, `gXYZ`, and `bXYZ` tags.
Is my profile uploaded?
No. All processing runs in your browser. The FileReader API reads the file locally, the binary header is parsed in JavaScript, and the information is displayed as text. No data is transmitted to any server.
What does 'device class' mean?
The device class tells you what kind of device the profile describes. `mntr` = monitor/display calibration profile. `prtr` = printer profile. `scnr` = scanner profile. `spac` = abstract color space conversion. `link` = device link (direct device-to-device transform). `abst` = abstract profile (color effect). `nmcl` = named color profile (spot colors like Pantone).
What is PCS (Profile Connection Space)?
The PCS is the reference color space that all profiles convert to and from. It's the 'common language' that allows profiles for different devices to interoperate. The most common PCS values are XYZ and Lab — device-independent color spaces defined by CIE (Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage).
Limitations
- No color conversionThe viewer inspects profile metadata and structure. It does not apply profiles to images, convert between color spaces, or soft-proof colors. Use an image editor, a color management library (Little CMS), or an OS-level color management system for conversions.
- Tag inspection onlyThe viewer lists tag locations and sizes, and decodes a few text tags (description, copyright) and colorant tags (RGB primaries). It does not decode complex tag types like tone reproduction curves (TRCs), look-up tables (LUTs), or gamut boundary descriptors.
- No profile validationThe viewer checks for the 'acsp' signature but does not validate the profile against the ICC specification, check tag checksums, or verify that required tags are present. For profile validation, use a dedicated tool like the ICC Profile Inspector.
Platform notes
- macOS
- ICC profiles are stored in `/Library/ColorSync/Profiles` (system) and `~/Library/ColorSync/Profiles` (user). The ColorSync Utility app (`/Applications/Utilities/ColorSync Utility.app`) provides similar inspection with a GUI.
- Windows
- ICC profiles are stored in `C:/Windows/System32/spool/drivers/color`. Right-click a profile and select 'Install Profile' to add it to the system. The Color Management control panel shows installed profiles.
- Linux
- ICC profiles are typically in `/usr/share/color/icc` (system) and `~/.local/share/icc` (user). `icc_dump` and `iccdump` (from ArgyllCMS) are CLI alternatives. The browser tool is convenient for quick inspection without installing color management packages.
- Web
- Runs entirely in the browser. ICC profile data is never transmitted to any server.